2024's Best Horror Game ‘Still Wakes The Deep' Gets Scarier DLC
Just when you thought you were out of the water, The Chinese Room pulls you back in. Out of nowhere, the indie developer has announced and will soon release Still Wakes the Deep's DLC expansion, Siren's Rest.
Still Wakes the Deep has been revived in a way that only makes the whole experience more claustrophobic and horrific, playing on its mantra of finding every single possible way to sink itself under your skin — this time, you get to relive the hellscape of the Beira D oil platform underwater.
Set in 1986, 10 years after the events of Still Wakes the Deep, Siren's Rest places you in the role of sole explorer Mhairi as she hops into a diving bell in the middle of the North Sea to explore the remains of the ill-fated drilling rig. Armed with only a camera, cutting torch, and crowbar, she surveys the wreckage both underwater and in the few remaining air pockets, hoping to learn what happened to the crew — but naturally, not everything is as dead as presumed.
Still Wakes the Deep, one of the top-three best indie games of 2024, was the deserved winner of three BAFTA Games Awards (second only to Astro Bot with five), thanks in part to its cast — two of its awards were for the ceremony's only both performer awards, namely lead role (Alec Newman as Cameron 'Caz' McCleary) and supporting role (Karen Dunbar as Finlay). As I said in my original review, it's a masterpiece of game acting, and to keep that spirit alive, this DLC sequel has enlisted top-tier talent to play on its biggest strength.
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Siren's Rest, written by Sagar Beroshi of Helldivers 2 fame, introduces Lois Chimimba (Atomfall, Shetland, Doctor Who) as Mhairi, alongside Lorn Macdonald (Bridgerton, The Lazarus Project) and veteran voice artist David Menkin (Final Fantasy XVI, Valorant), once again overseen by SWTD's lead voice director Kate Saxon.
This one's had a bad time of it. For its little faults, 'Still Wakes the Deep' was probably the best ... More horror game of last year. If you've still not played it, you're missing out on a unique experience that finds multiple ways to freak you out, especially as you're an everyman character with no weaponry. Still, you might need subtitles if you're an American (or even southern British TBH; I was luckily born and raised not far from the Scottish border). It plays to better side of The Chinese Room's unpredictable back catalog ('Dear Esther'? Amazing! 'Little Orpheous'? Nah.) I've never felt more unsafe in a believable and carefully curated environment. Take a punt on it - in "How Long To Beat" terms, think of it as 'Avengers: Infinity War' and 'Endgame' put together, but it's all set on an oil rig in the 1970s and you gradually watch your fellow crew members turn into the worst monsters possible.
The trailer and screenshots of Siren's Rest point to plenty of 'if you know, you know' moments — undoubtedly encouraging a fresh playthrough for existing fans of Still Wakes the Deep like me — but it also unlocks yet another reason for SWTD virgins to punish themselves with mid-70s, Scottish-themed sadness, despair, and body horror.
I've always been a poltroon when it comes to horror games, but I managed to complete this one with only light degrees of discomfort, and I've recommended it to everyone I know; I've even bought it as a birthday present for three people. It's not exactly the most positive experience to reward becoming another year older, but whatever.
Siren's Rest lands on June 18 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. It takes about 1.5 to two hours to complete, and it costs $12.99 — well worth the money, if past experiences are to be believed.
Meanwhile, if Still Wakes the Deep isn't your cup of tea, 2024's fellow, fear-filled classic Crow Country was a close second for the genre, and it's a near-perfect tribute to fifth-gen survival horror. It's also a lot less likely to force you to powerwash your trousers and/or seat of choice after playing.
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